Foreign tourists flock to Hunan and savor local culture

Support has been provided for Changsha and Zhangjiajie to make good use of the 72-hour and the 144-hour transit visa-free policy, while the recovery and expansion of international flight routes has dramatically influenced development of Hunan's inbound tourism. The summer and autumn flight schedules, spanning March 31 to Oct 26, include a total of 7,076 flights across nine airports, marking a record high — and an 8.3 percent increase compared to 2023.

In February, Changsha conducted an eight-day cultural tourism promotion event in Osaka, Japan; and Seoul, South Korea; to boost the influence of the capital city's culture and tourism resources.

On June 1, the 2024 Hunan International Cultural Tourism Festival and Trip Group Global Partner Hunan (Zhangjiajie) Inbound Tourism Conference welcomed more than 1,000 foreign guests from more than 50 countries and regions.

"The festival provides an excellent opportunity and platform for the development of Hunan's inbound tourism market. The attendees become a major force to drive the inbound tourism market and contribute wisdom to the upgrading of inbound tourism consumption and the tourism industry's new forms," said Shang Bin, deputy director of the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.